Sunday, March 27, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren, and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie! Participants are required to tell all about what they've received in the mail--anything bookish!

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I've finally posted TWO MAILBOXES IN A ROW! Haha. It's been a while since that's happened. Anyway, not much in the way of physical books that I wasn't expecting, which is fine. I received some GREAT titles, that I've been waiting for for ages. Let's get started, shall we?

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

My thoughts:

Between Shades of Gray . . . wow. This book is a bundle of emotions, so raw in illustrating the harsh realities that the deportees in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, endured and could never really recover from. Most perished, but those who survived all have stories to tell, and Sepetys honed her focus on THOSE PEOPLE. Those who never had a voice, who had to live in hiding, hoping to return home, afraid of what the NKVD Secret Police might do next. Captivating prose literature that captures the heart of a lost perspective on the damages of the second World War. I'm really at a loss for words right now.

Lina Vilkas is a 15 year old aspiring artist living in the safe confines of her Lithuanian home, until her whole family is thrown into a train, no information reported, no questions asked. In a harrowing journey across thousands of kilometres, among thousands of other Lithuanian deportees, Lina and her family stay strong while others lose hope. Until, Lina's father is sent away. What will become of her and her family, as Stalin and Hitler reign terror on their homeplace? Will they ever return home?

Between Shades of Gray is an extraordinary read. Sepetys writing style was brimming with raw emotion. It's a bit hard to explain: there was a grand amount of detail put into the novel, but it was really easy to read. When I first heard about this book, I thought it would take me at least a week to complete due to its emotional impact but the writing style and short chapters made the book a lot more episodic and ultimately much easier to get through.

Characters in GRAY were so inspiring. The amount of strength in among the hopelessness of the whole situation was truly heartbreaking. And I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that I love Lina and the dynamic with her family, as well as the budding relationship between her and Andrius. Sepetys captured to perfection the gruelling events that were never told in history. There were people who survived the deportation who were JUST LIKE THESE PEOPLE IN THE BOOK. Which gives this book infinitely more oomph, more impact.

There were a couple of things that annoyed me a little bit. First off, the flashbacks were confusing for me, especially during the first 50 pages or so. I couldn't grapple onto it at all, but I eventually did warm up to and welcome them. Also, I was left feeling a little dishevelled. Only a bit; just because there were a couple of loose strings, some hopes left untouched. And I kind of wanted something to finalise it all. The epilogue was a nice touch, though.

Recommended to those with a heart; those with a longing for historical fiction that pulls at the tear ducts; people who are interested in WWII, Stalin or Hitler or the Secret Police; or just people who want to read a book that will make them think. As Sepetys says, "History holds secrets". This book fills a hole in history that is normally ignored or given little attention to, and Sepetys deals with it delicately and with an utmost sincerity that shows how emotionally attached she personally is to this particular period in time.

Quotes:

"I COUNTED THE PEOPLE--forty-six packed in a cage on wheels, maybe a rolling coffin. I used my fingers to sketch the image in a layer of dirt on the floor near the front of the train car, wiping the drawings away and starting over, again and again."

Sunday, March 20, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren, and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie! Participants are required to tell all about what they've received in the mail--anything bookish!

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This mailbox is over 3 weeks of mail. I technically didn't get anything YA-related this week. *sigh* So, let's get this over, shall we? (and might I add that I'm 1/4 of the way to 100 IMMs?)

Mary expected her seventeenth birthday to be a blow-out to remember. Instead, she wakes up naked and scratched, in a mortifyingly public place, with no memory of how she got there. As her life spins out of control, Mary begins to think that someone is out to get her. But isn't she the popular girl everyone loves?

My thoughts:

I was so excited to read this book, but no amount of expectations could have prepared me for what I was getting myself into. I tentatively give this book a 4, because it fits somewhere from a 3.5 to a 4.5, depending on how I want to go about it.

7 Souls was incredibly interesting and a lot of the time, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING, I had no idea what was happening. The authors cleverly dispense little pockets of information as the story progresses, which kept me engaged and raring to continue flipping the pages (once I got past the 150~ page mark).

That all sounds pretty good, but I can't just ignore the fact that I was really confused and not at all really bothered to continue reading. The beginning was painful to sit through. Perhaps it was just a shock of culture difference--the third person perspective and just the writing style in general really did throw me off base. Which is why I said in the beginning how unsure I am where this book stands. Considering this is not a book I can see reading again anytime soon . . . .

I really don't want to describe how the story plays out, because the whole story IS what made 7 Souls a really good book overall. I loved trying to figure out who was "in on it", why things happened and, just trying to make sense of it all. I failed miserably across the board, but still, it was a hell of a ride, this book.

There wasn't that much engagement with the characters, but I feel that it didn't matter that I didn't feel any really attachment to most of them. I liked Dylan and Ellen and Amy, and I found it really clever how the authors incorporated an ancient Egyptian prophecy, with an exuberant amount of complexity, and only after reading this book did I finally understand what the title alluded to, as well as all the details of the book (such as the eye featured on the inside cover!)

Overall, 7 Souls was much worth the wait. An invigorating and stimulating read that will have readers clenching their jaws and turning the pages--especially fans of novels involving murders and mystery (or M&M).

When I first looked at the cover, I thought the model was Marie Digby, a musician I like (not love, but I had my moment). Her vulnerable but determinate and powerful expression and pose . . . . The design of the cover is so simple, but just really pretty, and screams CONTEMPORARY! I also love oxymorons, and the title "The Beginning of After", is just that. I also like the intermingling of the blue and yellow, with the stark contrast of red/orange along the top. All in all, I think the presentation is stunning. This is sure to lure in contemporary fans!

There's also the Gayle Forman, Sarah Dessen comparison at the end that's got me all intrigued . . . .

Stephanie Perkins . . . hello? Anna and the French Kiss stands as one of my favourite YA books, and Steph's companion (the first one) shows great potential. We all know Anna wasn't a fluke, that whatever she throws at us is going to be totally awesome. Dig the purple dregs. Can't wait to see how this is somehow coalesced with Anna's story!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Anke's father is abusive to her brother and sister. But not to her. Because, to him, she is like furniture— not even worthy of the worst kind of attention.

Then Anke makes the school volleyball team. She loves feeling her muscles after workouts, an ache that reminds her she is real. Even more, Anke loves the confidence that she gets from the sport. And as she learns to call for the ball on the court, she finds a voice she never knew she had.

For the first time, Anke is making herself seen and heard, working toward the day she will be able to speak up loud enough to rescue everyone at home— including herself.

My thoughts:

Because I Am Furniture is told in a series of poems in the perspective of Anke, the youngest child, who is barely acknowledged by her abusive father. In her gait, she pursues something that no one in her entire family would have dared to: she joins the school volleyball team. Chaltas' book follows the journey of Anke's self-discovery towards gaining a voice that she never knew she had.

I had extremely high hopes for Because I Am Furniture, and after one sitting I came out pretty torn in my opinions regarding this book. On one hand, the main issue addressed, domestic abuse, was dealt with careful sensitivity, inspiring hope for young teens and adults alike. But on the other, I felt so disconnected from the characters as result of the book's format (series of poems) that the ending felt lacking, emotionally.

I liked the poems; the words flowed with consistency and ran down the pages with ease. The story was easy to follow . . . it just all wasn't enough to make me feel anything really significant about this book. I don't believe all this is the author's fault though, more due to the format of the book. I'm led to believe that I would have enjoyed this far more had it been in prose, and it is for this very reason that I will be reading Displacement, her next novel.

Read Because I Am Furniture for the breezy poems and the sharp address of domestic abuse -- but don't expect to care much for the characters.

Quotes:

First Poem (all formatting from book intact)

"I am always there.
But they don't care if I am
because I am furniture.

I don't get hit
I don't get fondled
I don't get love
because I am furniture.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Grab the book you are currently reading and randomly post two non-spoiler sentences.

The Book

7 Souls by Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando

Pages: 300

Release date: March 28th 2011

Genre: YA, contemporary, paranormal, mystery

Ages: 15+

Synopsis:Mary expected her seventeenth birthday to be a blowout to remember, courtesy of her best friends, fellow New York City prepsters Amy and Joon, and her doting boyfriend, Trick.
Instead, the day starts badly and gets worse. After waking up in a mortifying place with a massive, unexplainable hangover, Mary soon discovers that nobody at school is even aware that it's her birthday. As evening approaches, paranoia sets in. Mary just can't shake the feeling that someone is out to get her—and, as it turns out, she's right. Before the night is over, she's been killed in cold blood.
But murder is just the beginning of Mary's ordeal. Her soul gets trapped in a strange limbo, and she must relive the day of her death through the eyes of seven people—each of whom, she finds, had plenty of reasons to hate her. As Mary explores the mysteries of her world, discovering secrets that were hidden in plain sight while she was alive, she clings desperately to the hope that she can solve her own murder, change the past, and—just maybe—save her own life.
With its blend of suspense, horror, fantasy, and realism, 7 Souls is an adrenaline rush of a thriller.

The Teaser

"There was the pain, first and last, that booming drumbeat of agony in her head--the kind of pain that made her want to curl up and die. It was woefully familiar. She recognized that pounding, that rhythm: her heartbeat, as slow and regular as a muffled bass drum from the worst band in the world, playing their worst song over and over."

(pg. 1 - first lines)

Mysterious, eh? Can't wait to delve into this book!!

Hope you enjoy this week's Teaser Tuesday!

This week's question:

What do you think of the title of this book: "7 Souls"? Fitting or disastrous?

Sixteen-year-old, music- and sound design-obsessed Drea doesn’t have friends. She has, as she’s often reminded, issues. Drea’s mom and a rotating band of psychiatrists have settled on “a touch of Asperger’s.”

Having just moved to the latest in a string of new towns, Drea meets two other outsiders. And Naomi and Justin seem to actually like Drea. The three of them form a band after an impromptu, Portishead-comparison-worthy jam after school. Justin swiftly challenges not only Drea’s preference for Poe over Black Lab but also her perceived inability to connect with another person. Justin, against all odds, may even like like Drea.

It’s obvious that Drea can’t hide behind her sound equipment anymore. But just when she’s found not one but two true friends, can she stand to lose one of them?

My thoughts:

Drea has never been good with people: always the "odd sock", the social misfit, the freak. She doesn't need her mother to remind her, and others, of her additional "disclaimer" -- that she has been admitted, by professionals, with a hint of Asperger's. Drea doesn't get why she's always had such a hard time understanding the unspoken language of being socially adept; she prefers to stick to her love of music over conforming along with all the "common denominators" anyway . . . . But along with her latest move with her mum, for the first time she finds people who seem to care about her.

That cover is perfect for the book. It really takes on a new meaning once you've read through it. Sure, one look at the cover and I knew I needed to read it, but now? Now, it's become more, a little bit more special. I've always loved this cover, and the presentation of the book in itself is lovely. The jacket flap has a sort of sheen to it. Not incredibly shiny (like Unearthly), but really smooth.

The characters are well-drawn out and have depth and complexities to them that I really appreciated and is really, really important in a contemporary novel. Drea is snarly and keeps to herself. I liked her character a whole lot, and I found it hard not to as Kelly so very easily gave Drea vulnerabilities that elicited sympathy towards her. Her neighbour and to-be best friend, Naomi, was a little bit different. She had that same love of music that Drea had, but she's airy and reckless and fun. Then there is Justin, who Drea meets on her, and his, first day of school. He's cool enough and I love their moments together. The interactions between these best friends seemed genuine and realistic.

The story is groundbreaking and chilled me to the bone. Kelly knows how to create a quiet story that slowly creeps up on you. You don't even realise that something has changed until something big has occurred. To me, a great contemporary novel is one that is quiet and full of precise little moments, and dramatic and life-altering scenes when the author has built the characters up with personalities and lives and you get them. There was a lot of head-shaking in this book, because drugs and smoking and booze play quite a big part in among all the music and friendship and boy-craziness. And that's fine, because it shapes the characters and gave the book a whole different edge, claiming a place in with the title, "older YA". This is one of those books I can see getting censored in the future, which would be a shame because it's powerful and is so much more than the partying and drugs.

At its core, Harmonic Feedback is about finding a place in the world: having friends for the first time in for ever; hiding inside a hobby or passion (e.g. music); not wanting to let a supposed mental disorder define who you are. Kelly understands this. She knows what it's like to be thrown into a box for being different. This book is quite a heavy read, but it's one I'd definitely read again, and I'll be looking out for Amplified, which is Kelly's second novel coming out in 2011.

Quotes:

First Line

"ONE IN THIRTY-EIGHT. Bet on a single number in roulette, and those are the odds of winning. Getting struck by lightning is a little more difficult--one in seven hundred thousand. Winning the lottery? Forget it."

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the upcoming prom. Scholarship student, Lizzie Bennett, can neither afford nor is interested in designer dresses and shoes, but her best friend Jane is; especially as her crush, Charles Bingley, is returning from a semester in the UK.

Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles's friend Will Darcy, who'd snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn't seem to like Lizzie, either, and she assumes it is because her family has no money. But if Will Darcy is such a jerk, why does Lizzie find herself so drawn to him?

Will Lizzie's pride and Darcy's prejudice keep them apart, or will they overcome their mutual distrust and accept their attraction? Elizabeth Eulberg has created a delightful modern-day romp through the well known parlour rooms of Jane Austen's world, it is a love story to entertain and engage as much now as then.

My thoughts:

Not long ago, I read Eulberg's debut novel, The Lonely Hearts Club, which I was disappointed by. But after hearing so many good things about Prom and Prejudice, I was excited and very willing to give the author a second go. And I'm so glad I did, because this book was just amazing. I'll begin by admitting that I have not yet read all of Pride and Prejudice. I normally have a hard time sticking with long books, which is why I normally do not get to the end of classics. *ahem* Anyway, that's beside the point, because after having read this delicately written novel I cast it in my bucket list without hesitation.

Lizzie Bennett, the talented pianist that she is, scored herself a scholarship position in Longbourn Academy, where everyone is rich and hides behind their money. She struggles with her first semester, but she comes out of it alive and with a friend or two -- score! But the hottest event of the year, prom, is quickly approaching. And that means rich, spoiled girls chattering away in the restrooms about what dress they have picked out, who they're going with, and connections-over-connection. After a misfortunate few encounters with Will Darcy, she has him figured out, or so she thought . . . and what about this ex-scholarship student George “Wick” Wickham who seems to be completely charming and fun and so into Lizzie?

The main character, Lizzie, is a strong and exotic character, especially when compared to the 'regular', rich students at the Academy. Told from her perspective, she has been continuously ridiculed and isolated for being a scholarship student. I think that her actions were reasonable, that she made mistakes that were plausible and that any other person could have also done. With all of the pain and misery she had to go through during her time at the Academy, I could not help but feel sympathetic towards her, and the feeling of not belonging (all NSWs and VICs, shudder with me) is something that everyone can relate to. Her best friend at the Academy, Jane, is sweet and despite her lack of distinguished personality, she was loyal to Lizzie through to the end, and I was definitely rooting for her to be happy.

Darcy is a character all his own, and everyone is aware of Darcy and his lingering charm. I think without realising it, I'd fallen for Darcy. I'm sure hoping that he's this "dreamy", for lack of a better word, in the original. He has a withdrawn personality, especially towards scholarship students, and later we are privvy to the reasons as to why he (and possible also all other students at the Academy, to an extent at least) came about to this prejudice. Now that I've read this book, I finally see why people seem to fawn over him.

Prom and Prejudice centralises itself around Longbourn Academy and the social prejudices that come attached with the amount of money students' parents earn. Eulberg's story based on the original, Pride and Prejudice, is entertaining, engaging and will have readers flocking to the classics section.

Quotes:

First Line

"IT IS A TRUTH UNIVERSALLY ACKNOWLEDGED, THAT A SINGLE girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date."

Favourite Quotes

A non-spoilery-but-still-favouritey-review.

"Darcy clenched his jaw. "You're certainly a harsh critic. Did you maybe even try to get to know us before you began judging?"

"When?" My voice cracked unexpectedly. "When there were food stamps shoved in my mailbox? When I had to scrub off the 'Hobos not wanted' that was scribbled all over my door? When people were throwing things in my face during my first week? Tell me, have you ever had a milkshake thrown in your face?"

Darcy looked embarrassed. He had no idea what I'd been through. And there he was, the King of the Elites, telling me that I was misjudging them."

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Grab the book you are currently reading and randomly post two non-spoiler sentences.

The Book

The Vespertineby Saundra Mitchell

Pages: 290

Release date: March 7th 2011

Genre: YA, historical, paranormal

Ages: 14+

Synopsis:It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

The Teaser

"At once, phantasmal music filled my ears. Strings sang sweetly, high and crying, calling these young sweethearts to sway closer."

(pg. 36)

Hey, look at that. Two, count 'em, two sentences! Only! I think that's a first, haha. Don't worry, it won't happen again. Yeah. This book is quite slow, but rich in lucid description.